Door check and closer



Aug. 8, 1944. c. DANLEY DOOR CHECK AND CLOSER Filed Sept. 15,1943

v INVENTOR- GAI L L. DRNLEY 1 BY i I Patented Aug. 8, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE noon CHECK AND! oLos-ER Gail L. Danley, Denver, 0010.

Application September 15, 1943, Serial No. 502,714

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in door checks and closers.

Door checks and closers are well known and in extensive use, but many of them are of complicated and expensive construction which precludes their use in many instances.

It is the object of this invention to produce a simple and substantial door check and closer which, due to its simplicity, can be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low price.

Another object of the invention is to produce a door check and closer which shall be so constructed that the torque exerted thereby will be comparatively uniform throughout the effective movement of its operation.

A further object of the invention is to produce a door check and closer which shall be so constructed that it will also serve without additional means to hold the door in open position.

And a further object of the invention is to produce a device of the class described which shall be provided with means for removing the retarding influence immediately before the door closes so as to permit the full strength of the spring to move the door against the action of the latch with which it may be provided.

The above and other objects that may become apparent as this description proceeds are attained by means of a construction and an arrangement of parts that will now be described in detail, and for this purpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawing in which the invention has been illustrated in its present preferred form, and in which:

Figure 1 is a section taken on line l-l Figure 2, and shows in a diagrammatic manner the relationship between the door frame and the door closer;

Figure 2 is a side elevation looking in the direction of arrow 2, in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on line 33, Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-4, Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section taken on line 5-5, Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a section taken on line 66, Figure 5; and

Figure '7 is a fragmentary bottom plan looking in the direction of arrow 1, in Figure 3.

In the drawing reference numeral l0 designates a door frame and reference numeral H a door which is connected with the frame by means of hinges l2. Secured to the door frame is a door check and closer which has been designated in its entirety by reference numeral l3. The door is provided with a lug l4 to which one end of the link I5 is pivoted. The other end of this link is pivoted at IE to the crank arm I! which extends from the door closer.

The door closer consists of a frame or base comprising a bottom plate l8, a top plate l9 and a removable wall 2|]. Plates I8 and I9 are provided respectively with flanges 2| and 22 by means of which the mechanism may be secured to the door frame Ill. The top and bottom plates l8 and I 9 are held in spaced relation and secured together by means of bolts 23, ferrules 24 and nuts 25. Plates l8 and I9 are provided with opposed openings which serve as bearings for the shaft 26. The lower end of this shaft is rounded as indicated by reference numeral 21, while the shaft itself is preferably square, but may be of any other suitable or desired cross section, the square cross section shown being selected for the reason that it simplifies the construction.

Positioned within the housing formed by parts I8, l9 and 20 is a cylindrical brake drum 28 which surrounds the shaft. Secured in the lower end of the brake drum is a ratchet member 29. This member may be secured to the drum by means of pins or it may be welded or otherwise attached so as to prevent relative rotary and longitudinal movement. Ratchet 29 is provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth 30 to which reference will hereinafter be made. A ratchet member or pawl 3| is operatively connected with shaft 26 and urged downwardly by means of spring 32 whose upper end abuts washer 33 that is held against longitudinal movement by means of a pin 34. Ratchet member 3| has teeth 35 positioned to engage with the ratchet teeth 30 in a manner shown in Figure 6. Surrounding the brake drum is a brake 'band 36. This band is provided with a loop 31 that encloses a pin 38 which projects upwardly from the bottom plate l8. Opposite from the loop 31 the brake band terminates in parallel end portions 39 which are perforated for the reception of a bolt 40. A nut 4| is electrowelded or soldered to one of the projections 39. A spring 42 extends between the outer surface of one projection and the washer which rests against the head 43. The wall plate 20 is provided with an opening 44 through which a screw driver may be inserted to turn the bolt 4|! for the purpose of effecting adjustment of the spring tension.

Attached to the shaft is a double crank arm having a hub portion 45 that surrounds the shaft and from which the crank arms 46 extend. A pin 41 extends through the shaft and through the through the hub 11'.

hub 45 and holds the crank arms in position. Each crank arm is provided near its outer end with an opening which serves as a means for attaching a helical tension spring 48 therewith. The other end of each spring surrounds one of the spacer ferrules 24, as indicated by reference numeral 49. Secured to the shaft above the plate I9, is a crank arm IT. This crank arm is held in place by means of a screw 50 that extends The adjustable connection between the crank arm l1 and theshaft is provided for the purpose of facilitating the application of the device to the door.

Referring now to Figure 1, it will be seen that the end of crank arm I! is connected with the door by means of a link l5. The parts are preferably so arranged that the crank arm I! makes an angle of substantially 45 degrees with a plane perpendicular to the door when the latter is in closed position. The parts are preferably so designed that for the normal opening and closing of the door, the crank arm I! moves through an angle of approximately 90 degrees. In Figure 1 the closed position of pivot 16 has been indicated by reference character A, the normal open position by B and-extreme open position by C. It will hereinafter be explained that when the parts are in the position indicated by C' in Figure 1,

the door will be held in open position, whereas, if it has not been fully opened, it will automatically close through the action of the closer.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 4, it will be observed that during the opening of the door the crank arms 43 will move in a counterclockwise direction, thereby increasing the tension in springs 48. When the door is closed the parts are preferably positioned as shown in Figure 4, in which position the lever arm through which the springs act is maximum. As the door opens and the crank arms move counterclockwise, the effective lever arm decreases due to the movement of the axes of the springs towards the shaft. When the door is open to position B, arms 45 have travelled through an angle of 90 degrees and the line of force exerted by the springs is then as indicated by the broken line in Figure 4. If the door is open to position C, the lever arm will be still further decreased.

When the parts are in position C, the torque exerted by the springs is not sufficient to overcome 'the friction between the cylinder 28 and the brake band and the door will therefore remain in fully open position held there by the frictional resistance of the brake. When the door is moved to position 13, the effective lever arm through which the springs operate, is increased suiiiciently to produce the necessary rotary motion. The friction of the brake to effect the opposition described is adjusted by means of a screw driver inserted through holes 44.

Particular attention is directed to the above feature of construction because by this construction a comparatively uniform torque is obtained for the reason that as'the tension in the spring increases, the lever arm decreases. Towards the end of the opening movement, the lever arm decreases at a greater rate than the tension and therefore the torque decreases at a comparatively high rate when the door moves from position B to position C and this makes it possible to use the door closer for the purpose of holding the door open as well as for closing and retarding the closing movement. It will be observed that during the opening movement of 76 the door, the ratchet mechanism permits the shaft to rotate without turning the brake drum, but when the shaft is rotated in response to the action of the springs, the ratchet serves to interconnect the shaft with the brake drum so that the latter must rotate. The friction between the brake drum and the brake band is adjusted so as to effect closing at the speed desired. In Figures 3, 4 and 5 a leather brake lining has been indicated by solid black.

If the door is provided with a latch, it is desirable to release the brake entirely as the door approaches near its closed position, and this is effected by pivoting a cam 5| to the plate l3. This cam is positioned between the ends 39 and is normally out of contact with'both, but if it is turned about its axis, it will engage the inner surfaces of parts 39 and spread them, thereby releasing the brake. To effect this rotary motion of the cam 5!, a cam 52 is attached to the end 2'? of shaft 26 so as to rotate therewith. Arm 53 is nonrotatably attached to the pivot 5d of cam 5! and extends into close proximity to cam 52. A spring 55 extends between the lug 55 and the arm 53 and serves to move the latter against the lug 56. When the door approaches closed position, the cam surface 5! comes into contact with arm 53 as shown in Figure '7 and upon further movement, it rotates the cam 55 sufficiently to spread the ends 39 and releases the brake. When the door opens cam 52 rotates in a clockwise direction when viewed as in Figure 7 The mechanism shown in Figure 7 is not needed except where the door is provided with a spring latch which increases the resistance to closing and makes it necessary to employ a stronger torque.

From the above description it will be seen that the mechanism is simple and substantial, that it requires no careful machining as there are no fluids either liquid or gas to be confined and that for this reason the labor cost in producing this device can be reduced to a minimum.

The construction by means of which the torque decreases towards the end of the opening of the door in such a way to make it possible to employ the same device for holding the door open is a great convenience and obviates the need of door checks for this purpose.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A door check and closer comprising a base, a shaft mounted for rotation thereon, a cylinder enclosing the shaft and rotatable relative thereto, a ratchet mechanism interposed between the shaft and the cylinder to permit relative rotation of the shaft and the cylinder in one direction only, a friction brake element carried by the base and positioned to engage the cylinder, resilient means for urging the brake element against the cylinder to produce friction, a crank armsecured to the shaft, a helical tension spring having one end anchored to the end of the crank arm. and the other anchored to the base, and a second crank arm attached to the shaft for rotating it against the action of the spring, the ratchet mechanism being so arranged that it permits the shaft to turnrelative to the cylinder only when the spring is being tensioned. r

2. The combination, in a door check and closer of two relatively rotatable members having co acting frictional surfaces and'means for connecting them respectively to a door and a door frame to secure relative rotation when the door closes,

said means comprising a base to which the relatively movable members are secured, one of said members being cylindrical, a shaft passing through the cylindrical member and rotatably connected with the cylindrical member and the base, a ratchet mechanism interposed between the shaft and the cylindrical member to permit relative rotation in one direction only, a crank arm secured to the shaft, a helical tension spring having one end secured to the outer end of the crank arm and the other to a stationary portion of the base whereby, when the shaft is turned in a direction to tension the spring the perpendicular distance between the axis of the spring and the axis of the shaft decreases thereby reducing the torque per unit of force, the ratchet being so arranged that the shaft can rotate relative to the cylinder only when the spring is being tensioned.

3. In a door check and a closer, a friction brake retarding means comprising a brake cylinder and a brake band in operative engagement therewith, means comprising a spring operatively connected with the brake cylinder for exerting a torque thereon, means for reducing the torque per unit force exerted by the spring during the time the spring is tensioned, means for tensioning the spring as the door opens, and a ratchet mechanism interposed between the spring and the cylinder whereby the latter is rotated only as the tension in the spring decreases.

4. A door check and closer comprising a base, a shaft mounted for rotation thereon, a cylinder enclosing the shaft and rotatable relative thereto, a ratchet mechanism interposed between the shaft and the cylinder to permit relative rotation of the shaft and the cylinder in one direction only, a friction lbrake element carried by the base and positioned to engage the cylinder, a resilient means for urging the brake element against the cylinder to produce friction, means comprising a spring for resisting rotation of the shaft in a direction to effect a relative rotation between the shaft and the cylinder, and a crank arm attached to the shaft for rotating it against the action of the spring, the ratchet mechanism being so arranged that it permits the shaft to turn relative to the cylinder only when the spring is being tensioned.

5. The combination in a door check and closer of two relatively rotatable members having coacting frictional surfaces and means for connecting them respectively to a door and a door frame to secure relative rotation when the door closes, said means comprising a base to which the relatively rotatable members are secured, one of said members being cylindrical, a shaft passing through the cylindrical member and rotatably connected with the cylindrical member and the base, a ratchet mechanism interposed between the shaft and the cylindrical member to permit relative rotation in one direction only, means comprising a spring having one end operatively connected with the shaft and the other with the base, for resisting rotation of a shaft in a direction to effect a relative rotation of the shaft and the cylindrical member whereby when the shaft is turned in a direction to tension the spring, the cylindrical member will remain stationary, whereby the rotation of the shaft in response to the action of the spring will also effect the rotation of the cylindrical member, the ratchet being so arranged that the shaft can rotate relative to the cylindrical member only when the spring is being tensioned.

GAIL L. DANLEY. 

